Encryption techniques may be employed to provide security for, to prove authenticity of, and/or secure other relevant information pertinent to an image, document or recording. A variety of information may be encrypted into the image, document or recording. An image, document or recording having such information, protected from tampering by secure encryption, is very desirable in proving issues of copyright, ownership and authenticity.
One example of encrypting biometric information is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,206 to Khan et al. The Khan digital identity may include biometric information such as a voice, fingerprint or retinal scans. The Khan digital identity is generated only once in its life cycle and it can be easily maintained by the owner. The Khan digital identity may be used to authenticate the owner. The owner may sign as many documents as desired. However, one embodiment involves the owner/signer placing a copy of the digital identity in escrow or with a third party for safekeeping. Also, because the Khan digital identity is created before it is used, the Khan digital identity may be fraudulently obtained and/or used without permission by an unscrupulous third party. Furthermore, real-time information cannot be included in the Khan digital identity.
Another example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,630 to Borza, encodes biometric information into an image frame. The biometric information is also stored in a memory. When the biometric information retrieved from the image is compared to the saved real-time biometric information of an individual, and the biometric information matches, an encryption and decryption key associated with the matching data is provided to an encrypting and decrypting system for encrypting files for storage and for decrypting flies for access. When no match is provided, no key is provided and the system functions absent encryption or decryption. Accordingly, the Borza device is configured prior to initial use. Thus, biometric information is limited to providing access to encryption and decryption keys. Thus, a third party cannot access the encrypted information to determine information of interest relating to the image, document or recording, since a match of biometric data is impossible.
Other types of information may be encrypted into an image to enhance proof of authenticity of the image. One such device, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,294 to Friedman, encodes location, date, time, light level, color, temperature, f/stop, shutter speed, latitude and longitude of the camera position, camera direction, focusing distance of the camera lens system, the camera pointing direction, and other attributes of interest into an image. However, and more particularly, Friedman teaches that the accuracy of the time and date information is subject to corruption and/or error because the date and time information is specified to the clock at the time of manufacture.